Don't underestimate the 86!
 

18 months ago I made the switch to a 2014 Porsche Cayman S from my Edelbrock supercharged BRZ. The change in quality was clear, but I wanted to come back and mention some things. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

I feel like I am piloting the Porsche, but driving the BRZ. The Porsche is so capable that it seems like overkill at times. The gearing is stupidly long. I know I complained about having to shift into third in the BRZ to get to 60mph, which affects the 0-60 time...never will again.

The PDK of the Porsche is NOT like a manual, so I am now moving to a manual GTS.

Essentially, the 86 is a wonderful, everyday, fun car that I miss. Maybe one day I will pick one up again.

This is a love letter to the 86 and all it is. Love what you have guys!

Anyone else make a move to another car and has some regrets?

No, but I ended up with an 86 that is NA but tuned and track focused. I call it my mini GT3. I went from a 911 to a 911TT to a Miata and now have the 86. I love this car. It's the best of many worlds. It isn't my DD so I could care less about certain things it doesn't have. The 911 TT was a good GT but the 86 is so much sharper and the lightness makes for a better experience. It's fast ENOUGH.

The Miata was a strong nope.

How much power do you really need? Been there done that and gobs of power aint all that.

I can`t wait to get mine on the track! Then starts the mods to get it how I want it, the last car took a couple of years. That got better as my wife and I did also.

Except you're comparing to an SC BRZ. What's your comparison to factory BRZ?

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

That makes it even more interesting because you are adding in the difference between the NA and S/C BRZs. I think that the S/C BRZ isn't necessarily better than the NA BRZ...just different. For power fun, the S/C BRZ was better, obviously, but for outright driving at the limit, the NA BRZ was best. I completely understand why Tada-san stays away from the supercharged BRZ now, but I still think he needs to allow consumers the option of S/C if they want it.

The 2022 BRZ is going to be interesting...is it the best of both worlds...more power, but not losing the essence of driving of the original.

'93 MR2 Turbo > BRZ
All day everyday. Stock for stock more power more toque, and weighs less.

A PDK Cayman S is better in every possible way as a sports car than any twin. Are you just trying to be popular here?

Careful. "Better" is subjective, he specifically said he didn't like the transmission and if rowing gears is what makes it a sports car for him, I'd agree that a lot of cars are better suited. I wouldn't be caught dead in a post 2000s Porsche, or Lamborghini or anything else touted as some incredible sports car- only because of my needs in a sports car, rather than their capability overall.

I'd actually drive a broken ass 88 Firebird with the 305 and 5spd trans over a Porsche Cayman s. Why? Because I like to work for it

So I’m assuming you’ve owned a Cayman?

I'm not telling my opinion or i care about some other opinions here. And I don't need to post references, reviews. Cayman is the established benchmark of this segment. We are not even comparing against a Lotus here. You want argue about that? Sure, go ahead among yourselves. Btw, i love my FRS for what it is

FT86 and Cayman are not remotely in the "same segment". Yes, they benchmarked the Cayman, but they are in totally different segments, the FT86 being a reasonably lightweight, economical, sporty and fun-to-drive front-engine rear-drive 2+2, the Cayman being a much more expensive/luxo mid-engined 2-seater.

The Cayman is a great car for sure, but it is NOT as immediately engaging and fun-to-drive as the FT86. For *many* of us, the FT86 is actually BETTER, for US. I came to this conclusion after driving my BRZ alongside my 987.2 last year on the road and at the track. Plan was to pick the one I liked best at the end of the year, and it was the BRZ, and it wasn't even close. BRZ is, for me, WAY more fun and engaging to drive every day, to the store, and also on the track. Porsche is fun enough at the track, but it's less engaging and playful and it's frankly boring to drive in town at 2/10ths.

Sold the Porsche and while I did have some fun with it, I don't really miss it. I would have *missed* the BRZ!

I recently sold an '87 911 Carrera which I owned at the same time as a '13 FR-S (still own). Both are great cars, and really can't be easily compared except to say that both are kind of primal, exciting to drive, and somewhat alike dynamically. Biggest difference to me was the engines sound, feel, power. The 911 was something special! As to handling, they were more alike than different, as long as you didn't forget to never suddenly take your foot off the gas in a tight curve in the 911 :)

No, I am serious. Is the Cayman a more capable, faster car...absolutely...but that isn't everything. The feel and experience of driving the car on backroads is completely different...shockingly so.

This guy gets it...you have to have owned both cars to really understand what I am trying to get at. The 'fun factor' has a lot of weight in this comparison.